The day started with a phone call from Phil informing me that he was looking at the Hoopoe on the lawn of Cliff Farm, Out Newton. I should have been there...will I never learn...probably not!
Anyway, cornflakes abandoned, clothes thrown on and off to join him. Needless to say the bird had disappeared. The lads from Spurn soon arrived and started to scour the area. Nothing for 30 minutes or so. I tried further down the road towards Easington but no luck. I made my way back to Cliff Farm. As I drove up the track I caught sight of Mick Turton waving to me and pointing into the garden of the adjacent house.
Great I've got it at last!
Wrong...but WHAT a consolation prize...
A daytime Nightjar sighting. The lads had seen it flying into the garden. A wonderful bird. I then gave my neighbour Richard a ring to tell him of the find. He soon joined me and we returned to the site but the bird had gone.
I then went home to walk Bud before returning to look for the Hoopoe. As I reached the crest of the hill just before the turning for Cliff Farm I saw a dark "raptor" type bird flying low across the crop. Not a sight I was familiar with...no wonder...it was the Nightjar!!!
I saw it cross the road in front of me and then I lost it over the hedge. I wasn't sure if it had continued towards the farm or dropped on the other side of the hedge. I decided to search the immediate area. The wind was whistling in off the sea, it was cold. I reckoned it would be looking for a more sheltered spot. I checked all areas that I could get a decent view of but no joy. Then I looked along the edge of a cropped field with a decent hedge. Amazingly there it was, tucked in low between the hedge and the crop...
After double checking it wasn't a clump of earth (this has happened in the past) I rang Phil but I wasn't sure he'd heard me so I texted Steve Exley and Adam Hutt. Within 10 minutes birders from Spurn were arriving and everyone saw the bird. I also called Richard again and this time he connected. After a while I left the scene and headed off down to Spurn to try for the Red-backed Shrike. On the way I called Richard Willison and gave him directions to the site.
When I arrived at Spurn I had a walk down the canal and managed to find the bird with the help of Adam. It was fairly distant but what a cracker...
Time to go now but as I was leaving I saw Richard W coming the other way. He'd seen the Nightjar with a few further directions from yours truly. He told me there were still a few watching the bird when he left. We had a brief chat then we continued on our way. I hadn't had a good chat with him for quite a while so I u-turned and headed back to Kinlsea. I saw him taking pics of the Shrike and he was pointing his camera my way. There it was not 30 yards away...
After having a good chat with Richard I did leave this time but not before getting more luck at Kilnsea Wetlands with the pair of Garganey...
More luck as they were right by the side of the hide.
I'd been keeping Gavin informed about the Nightjar and he was hoping to see it after work. I returned to the site around 4pm to give him an update. I was trying not to let my cynicism take hold. Unfortunately my fears were confirmed on reaching the site. I looked along from the earlier vantage point...
but the bird had gone. I guess it could have moved on of it's own accord...and then maybe not...
The area of trampled down vegetation was almost directly opposite were the bird was roosting.
I waited for Gavin to show him the correct area before returning home. I haven't heard from him so I guess he was deprived of seeing his "favourite bird"... and the bird was deprived of much needed rest.
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